Turtle Anthology
by StupidBolts
Summary: A collection of drabbles, oneshots and unfinished work that never will be finished, but were decent enough for me to want to share. So, enjoy, comment, but don't pester for continuations of any pieces you read in this anthology. You will be promptly ignored. Peace! Ratings may vary; yaoi, het, t-cest, ect.
1. Introduction

**So, if you've been reading my fics for a while, you'll know I have a short attention span. My brain pukes up torrents of ideas all over the place, and my body just can't keep up; the amount of times I've woken up on top of my laptop is ridiculous. A good example of this is the fact that since getting into the TMNT fandom, I have written _stupid_ amounts of fanfics that have gone absolutely no where, either because the ideas weren't developed enough or I lost interest. But there are a select few that never got finished but I like enough to want to share, so I've decided to compiles my favourites into a sort of fanfic anthology. _None_ of these will be continued, and if it feels like a section is missing then it's because my motivation dried up or I fell asleep while writing it. Further more, I'll be doing a few analisies on certain drabbles/oneshots for practise, since my English class is currently working on text transformation, in which we have to annotate our work and analyse it. So if you aren't interested in any of that nonsense, skip the bloody great paragraphs of bold text, but do give me your comments. That said, it's become apparent an author can't respond to the comments left by "Guests", so if you have a question or actually expect a reply from me, sign up and get an account. If'n you don't, at least remember that I _do_ read all comments, so you are loved really.**

**So enjoy what is present; you get what I give you, my darlings. _Peace!_**

April's heels tapped together, pivoting on her toes under her chair, leaning on one elbow while her eyes scanned the textbook pages. Irma was of course enthralled by the history of pencil sharpeners and how they'd developed over the years, and Casey was of course asleep in his seat. She felt her pocket vibrate, making her jump a little. Subtly slipping it out and hiding it beneath her desk, she read the text, apparently from Leo.

_Just letting you know you left your jacket here._

She blinked, then mentally slapped her own forehead; she'd been searching for it all morning. If Leo found it, she'd probably left it in the dojo at the start of her training session yesterday. Stupid.

_Thanks, I'll come pick it up later! x_

She read the message back to herself, suddenly noticing the kiss symbol she'd put at the end and going red in the face. She only ever put those in her texts to her Dad or Irma. Hopefully, Leo wouldn't know what it meant.

_Kay. I'll keep it out of reach of Mikey and his glitter glue._

April smiled fondly, cradling the T-phone in her palms before quickly stuffing it back in her pocket when Mister Reynolds turned away from the chalk board. The next half hour, she pondered herself and the odd but subconscious decision to send a kiss symbol to the blue turtle. It wasn't that she didn't ever show Leo affection, or any of the Hamato family other than Donnie, but it suddenly occurred to her she wasn't quite sure _how_ to show each of them affection, or how they'd react.

They showed _her_ affection; Mikey ambushed her with warm, adorable hugs that she just couldn't resist returning.

Raph would playfully ruffle her hair and let her punch him in the arm, because god knew he was too packed with muscle to actually feel it.

Donnie took every opportunity to hug her, sweet guy that he was, and she found embracing _him_ was the easiest considering he was her best friend, besides the Gothic geek girl across from her.

Leo was a bit trickier, since the two held a lot of respect and admiration for one another, and too much physical contact just seemed unnecessary; she saw him as a great leader, and he was a gentleman that wouldn't touch a girl without permission.

But if she _were_ to show them affection, to show them just how much she loved each and every one of them, how would she go about doing that?

**Does anyone else send kisses to their friends in text messages? I know I do.**

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


	2. Big Brother Hug

As promised, she slipped down into the sewers after school, following the tunnels she now knew like the back of her hand into the lair. "_Tadaima!_," she called, remembering her manners. From various parts of the lair, she heard them all call back to her.

"_Okaeri!_" The red head smiled, dropping her bag on one of the couches and wandering towards the dojo. As expected, Leo was there going through sword katas, his katanas soaring through the air with a strange elegance; she'd never really thought of a turtle as a _graceful _creature.

"Hey," she called, catching his attention with a raise of his eyes. He smiled softly at her, finishing the set of moves before sheathing his blades, turning to her.

"Hi, got your jacket right here," Leo greeted her, walking towards the shelf where Master Splinter kept his precious photo. Holding it out to her, Leo kept that calm, polite smile on his face as April took it. She stared at her coat, then up at the turtle, then back down in thought. "Something wrong?"

"No, no, I..." Her fingers stroked over the fabric, then tilted her head and smiled. "Hey, can I get a hug?" His eyes popped open a little wider, jolting in place, then glancing away for a moment.

"Er... I guess... wouldn't you rather ask Donnie or Mikey?," Leo asked, even as he slowly opened his arms.

"I wanna hug you too," the red head replied, folding her arms around his neck and resting her chin on his sturdy shoulder. His hands drifted to her back, gently but firmly holding her. This was... nice. The only way she could think to describe it was 'Big Brother Hug'. Maybe it was that sixth sense Splinter was convinced she had, but she suddenly got the feeling she was incredibly safe, like nothing in the world could touch or hurt her.

Because Leo would never let them.

Knowing that was kind of serene, along with the fact that getting him to hug her was so simple; he didn't judge her for it or push her away, he simply accepted her as she was. With that in mind, she gave him a light squeeze, and as she pulled away, pressed a soft little kiss to his cheek. Leo didn't tense or get all flustered, he just smiled slightly, eyes shutting as he appreciated the tender motion.

"What was that for?," he asked. "All I did was give you your coat."

The red head giggled, hands rest on his forearms while his rested on her hips. "I just thought... I needed to show you guys how much you all mean to me. If choosing your family was an option, I'd definitely want you guys as my brothers." The blue turtle tilted his head, then raised an eye brow before he reached up to brush a lock of hair behind her ear.

"If you're lucky, friends and family are one and the same. I'd want you as a sister, too." April grinned wide at him, before pulling away and letting him get back to his practise. She noted, as she left through the sliding doors, that her big brother had the softest of smiles on his face.

* * *

**Now we all know Leo is a completely dorky fanboy of the most adorable variety, but I've noted how mature he acts around April. Being that he hasn't grown up with her like his brothers, and is the opposite gender, he probably feels the need to put forward an adult attitude. Why? Because during the months where her Father was missing, April only really had Splinter to rely upon for an adult, parental figure. I feel he realised this so piled on the maturity in order to give her a second platform of stability and security. Sort of his own way of saying, _"We're here for you, we'll take care of you"_. That is one of the many reasons I love this incarnation of Leo.**

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


	3. Strong Brother Hug

When she came out into the den, Raph had appeared in front of the punching dummy, hammering in his fists with practised ease. As a red head, she'd often been told she had a temper. That stereotype used to bug her until she met Raph; she'd never met anyone with a worse temper than him. It also occurred to her that, if the boys were actually human and could attend school, anyone dumb enough to give her grief about her hair colour would face the wrath of the hot headed reptile. For someone who claimed his family was a burden, he was very protective of them, and April felt slightly honoured when she realised he'd accepted her as family.

The girl walked closer, quietly as possible even though she knew he was completely aware she was there. He didn't seem angry at the moment, just focused on his training, so that was a helpful point. "Hey Raph?" He threw a particularly hard punch into the dummy's gut, before whipping around to see her.

"Yeah?," he asked, then yelped as she suddenly lunged at him, fingers bared like claws, but still effortlessly caught her when she flung her arms around him.

"Gotcha!," she laughed, rubbing their cheeks together and squeezing him. Raph looked extremely confused for a brief moment, then seemingly shrugged it off and retaliated by tickling her.

"Jeez, what's up with _you?_," the red turtle snorted, one arm firmly wrapped around her waist, but was no where near to hurting her. He knew how to control his incredible strength, demonstrated by how he was actually _lifting_ her off the ground with one arm. To him, she probably weighed little more than a feather, so she fondly dubbed Raphael's embrace as the 'Strong Brother Hug'. They half wrestled, half tickled each other – she happened to know for a fact that Raphael's neck was _very_ ticklish – until he set her feet back on the ground. April grabbed one of the tattered ends of his bandanna, tugging his head forward to gently bump and rub their noses together in an Eskimo kiss, both grinning and laughing.

"Gah, you're a pain in the neck, but I just wanted to tell you that I love ya, Muscle-head!," the red head snerked. His expression dropped in surprise, blinking those Peridot eyes for a few moments.

"Well... thanks, I guess..." When they separated, his gaze snapped down to the ground and he stood there, shuffling awkwardly, before clearing his throat. "Love you too...," he muttered under his breath, barely audible. She gave him one last smile, before turning and leaving him to his own business, heading into Donnie's lab.

* * *

… **Okay, I'm going to be honest, this is a guilty ship of mine. Yes, I do actually ship straight pairings occasionally; in truth, I ship a pair that compliment each other nicely. Raph's temper could be easily cooled by April's softer side, or countered by her equally hot temper. She takes crap from _no one_. I do like the Donnie/April/Casey love triangle, but it gets a bit boring at times. Donnie and Casey's dick fighting competitions just make me want to throw my hands in the air and shout, _"Just propose already!"_. Plus, 2k12 Casey Jones reminds me too much of multiple dickheads I've met in the past who are completely convinced that they are God's gift to women, while Donnie's near-obsession with April is as annoying as it is creepy at times. Not all the time, though. I love both characters to bits, but they aren't nearly as sweet as the 2k3 versions (c'mon, Casey made her breakfast in bed and babied Donnie when he was sick). A point of the Bay movie coming out this summer that I'm looking forward to is the Raph/April moments that seem to crop up quite a bit in the trailers, but there probably won't be much _development_ there. It's Michael Bay, after all.**

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


	4. Sweet Brother Hugs

Of course, there sat the purple turtle at his desk; going between his laptop and his microscope, mumbling to himself with scientific and techno babble she could just barely understand. April came in a little further before calling out to him. "Hey, Donnie!" All of a sudden, the genius flung himself backwards off his chair, struggling and fighting with gravity and inanimate objects to get to his feet.

"April!," he exclaimed, grabbing the back of his seat, only to for it to rotate under his weight and throw him to the floor again. "Hi, how-!," he tried again, this time tripping over his tool box and rolling under the desk. "- are you?" She couldn't help but laugh, running around the side of the work bench and crouching on the floor, grasping his forearms to hold him still and let him regain his balance.

"I'm fine, now hold still before you hurt yourself!," she giggled. His face tinged pink, staring at her hands laid over his muscular but lean arms, then made an almost panicked squeak. She tilted her head; he often made those noises around her, but she put it down to the fact he'd never spoken to any other girls, and wasn't quite as self-confident as his brothers. A shy, sweet nerd. April couldn't help but think he and Irma might get along if they ever met.

His chaotic scramble had caused a few sheets of paper to fly up into the air, now floating back down, one resting on his head. The girl giggled, removing it and placing it back on his desk. "You silly," she cooed at him, lolling her head forward to gently bump foreheads with him. He blushed a little fiercer, but chuckled softly, slowly relaxing as they sat there on the floor together. He let his long, bunched up legs rest and spread out, sliding either side of April. They rubbed their heads together, continuing their quiet giggling together in the now peaceful atmosphere of the lab. She sighed, looking him straight in the eye. Nervous as he was, he clearly loved being close to her, and had been the first turtle to fully accept her into their world and show her affection.

One three-fingered hand hesitantly lifted, resting on her side so feather-light that she could barely feel it. His strange but beautiful maroon eyes lifted to look into her, laughter stopping as he seemed completely mesmerised by her stare.

April shrugged slightly with a grin, making herself wobble in her crouched position but catching herself on his shoulders. "Listen, I just wanted to say... you guys mean the world to me. I know I said some things... some really horrible things back when my Dad first mutated... but..." He suddenly began shaking his head, looking panicked.

"No, no, no, no, no, you were _completely_ within your rights to be angry. Honestly, if anything happened to Master Splinter that was that terrible, the four of us would be furious too."

"The _five_ of us," she corrected him, earning another chuckle. He had a very cute, dorky giggle. "Even so, there's no way any of you would have done it on purpose, and... accidents happen, and I know how hard you're working to fix it."

"I am! I've actually made quite a bit of progress with the retro-mutagen, but there's still a few kinks to work out, like-!" She halted his chatter, pressing her finger tips to his lips and tilting her head.

"Thank you, Donnie. I wanted to show all of you how much I love you guys." His face lit up at that, so much so April thought he might take off like a rocket. She considered him for a moment, then got to her feet and helped him stand, holding his hands in hers for a few moments more. "I think I'll call yours 'Sweet Brother Hugs'," she said, then hopped up slightly to peck him on the cheek; curse him for being so tall. His expression suddenly became muddled; ecstatic, but looking almost confused, or even _disappointed_ by something. April didn't pry, assuming he'd been thrown off by the title she'd given his embraces, and slipped away from him.

She didn't see, too busy trying to locate her last turtle sibling, but Donatello stared after her with a forlorn, regretful expression, shoulders drooping as she closed the door behind her.

* * *

**I apologise, but I never wrote Mikey's cuddle. I fell asleep on the keyboard, at which point my Mother declared I was a cat, capable of sleeping anywhere. Anyway, there's no way I can deny that Donnie's love for April is sweet, but somewhat over powering. The events of Fungus Humongous bugged me, since they claimed they experienced their deepest fears when under the influence of the fungus. It appeared to me that it was their _phobias_ that were being forced upon them rather than deepest fears, because I refuse to believe Donnie's entire world revolves around April when he's only known her for the better part of a year. Not that I don't believe in love at first sight, but platonic love has been a far more prominent emotion in their lives, having only had each other and Splinter to attach to while down in the sewers. Which additionally is what cements t-cest being okay in my books; if four kids lived in total isolation from the rest of the world, never seeing another female, and only having each other for company, chances are they're going to be a little warped. Which I suppose you could argue is what makes Donnie's crush on April so obsessive.**

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


	5. Comfortable

This didn't seem right.

Raph held exceptionally still, calling upon all his training over his lifetime, hands folded tightly on his stomach. April's hair tickled his neck a little, cheek squished against his shoulder as she completely slumped against his side, eyes focused on the small amount of TV they could see past Leo's head. It was just the three of them; Donnie was in his lab, Casey was bothering Donnie, and Mikey was singing while cooking dinner. All his older brother's attention was glued to the TV screen and the fanboy wet dream known as Captain Ryan, so he clearly hadn't noticed that April had even entered the room, let alone dropped onto the couch and silently declared that Raphael shall be her pillow for the evening.

He tried to keep his focus on the back of his leader's head, keeping a neutral expression. It wasn't as if she never interacted with anyone other than Donnie affectionately; she had tickle wars with Mikey and she hugged with Leo and Splinter. At some point or another, all four of them had been her personal leaning post, but she _mostly_ picked the other three. But he was the only one currently available on the couch, he reasoned. If Mikey appeared, she'd be more than likely to swap her position to curl up with him instead.

Still, she was very warm. His natural instinct as a turtle began to surface, enjoying the shared heat, and without realising, Raph curled an arm around April's middle. The red head didn't immediately react, but decided she was uncomfortable and shifted about until her cheek was resting on his chest, both hands laying on his plastron. His other arm stretched out along the back of the couch, and the two decided that this position was the most cozy.

Leo made squeaks and coos of awe as he watched his show. Raph rolled his eyes but smiled lazily, while April giggled at the usually stoic turtle letting his childish side show.. "He's so cute when he watches this," she murmured, making him scoff.

"Leo_nerd_o?," he hissed. "_Cute?_"

"Sure. He's a sweet geek, like Donnie. Only more self-confident." He nodded, honestly agreeing with that statement.

* * *

**Here's that guilty ship of mine again. I've got a few of these to throw in, and I don't regret it. It's more than likely my _other_ hetero ship will sneak it's way in here; Karai or Miwa/Mikey. So sue me, opposites attract, and they remind me of myself and my girlfriend. In any case, I imagine Raph and April's relationship to develop at a more sedate and realistic pace, rather than the contrived _"love at first sight"_ going on with Donnie. They'd actually take the time to get to know one another, find things they love and all of sudden find themselves crazy about the other. All of the while, Raph would be feeling guilty and trying to fight back his feelings for Donnie's sake, while April is trying to work out why she's attracted to a turtle. Additionally, Leo's fanboy mode is not dissimilar to my Father's.**

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


	6. Reiki

"Ow...," April whined while rubbing her temples. Raph looked up from his magazine, watching the human beside him.

"You okay?"

"Headache. Like... like the one after I messed up all those Kraang in TCRI," she replied with a groan, pearly eyes squeezed shut. The warrior's brow furrowed in concern, folding the corner of his page and shutting the magazine. April sighed and rubbed her eyes briefly, then her forehead and back to her temples. He blinked slowly, then recalled how Donnie used to get rather nasty migraines when they were kids. Mikey always insisted it was because he was working that big brain too much, but Splinter had explained that it was simply neuralgia, and taught them how to help their brother deal with the pain.

"Here," he said while shifting closer, reaching up and brushing her hands away from her head, pressing his palms to her temples as Sensei had shown them. Her eyes flew open, shoulders and arms suddenly going lax, and she sighed in relief at the sensation.

"Oh my god, that's _awesome!_," she chortled softly, leaning slightly into his touch. He hummed in response, carefully working out the tension he could feel in her muscles. April's eyes drifted shut again, far more content and comfortable than before, which Raph took as a good thing. "Ah... thanks, Raph," the red head sighed, letting his strong hands slide away. "Think I'll come to you next time I get a headache."

* * *

**Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy. Would _not_ be surprised if Splinter knew this technique. My parents learnt it when I was tiny to help me deal with my aches and pains, being the unhealthy and whiny brat I was, but these days they do indeed use it to help treat my migraines. Don't worry April, I can seriously sympathise.**

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


	7. Grape Soda

April's brow became furrowed more and more the louder the argument got. Donnie and Casey stood mere centimetres away from each other, hurling insults and curses at one another with absolutely no intention of letting the other win. All over who would go to the fridge and get her a soda.

Mikey was sat on the floor by her feet, leaning back against the couch with his cheek on her knee, watching with a far more amused expression. He'd occasionally glance up at her, smiling sweetly, to which she'd pet his head in a playful ritual they'd invented, where the freckled turtle would purr and pretend he was a cat for her.

"_Gap-tooth!_"

"_Cave-mouth!_"

"_Donerdtello!_"

"_Hockey puck!_"

"Oh, that's _real_ creative, _Albert Whine-stein!_" And so it went on. She was honestly wondering what the big fuss was about, and why she hadn't just gotten up to get it herself. That sixth sense of hers simply whispered that she _shouldn't_ get up. Like something important was about to happen.

Maybe she should ask Mikey to go get her a drink.

"Hey, thirsty?" A purple can of grape soda suddenly appeared in front of her nose, the cold aluminium bumping against it playfully. She tilted her head back to see Raph crouched behind her above the pit, offering her the drink. "Grape's your favourite, right?," he asked, taking a sip of his cherry soda. A smile of absolute relief spread over her face, and she accepted the can.

"Thank you _very_ much, Raphie," she declared slightly louder than necessary, catching the genius and vigilante's attention. Mikey stifled his giggling as April quaintly popped open the ring-pull and took a slug of fizzy purple liquid, giving an exaggerated sigh. Raph dropped down onto the couch beside her, one arm idly slung over the back and around her shoulders, sipping on his own drink, then looked up at the agape expressions on his brother and best friend's faces.

"What?," he asked, somewhat uncomfortable.

"Hey, Raph, how come you didn't get _me_ a drink, bro?," Mikey pouted, lolling his head sideways to rest on Raph's knee instead.

His brother blinked. "I, uh... didn't think to."

* * *

**Albert Whine-stein. I've wanted to use that one for ages! It's terrible but so very fitting. Anyway, more of Donnie and Casey's cock fights. You can feel the testosterone just radiating out of the screen if you concentrate hard enough. Additionally, I love the _"Mikey-spy"_ thing fans seem to have going on, how the lil' Jellybean always seems to be in the right place at the right time. I like to think that he's coming up with his own ships in his mind, but won't voice them in fear of spoiling things. Plus; Raph, your gentleman is showing.**

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


	8. Only For You

"God, I hate this!"

"I think you've made that abundantly clear." Raph punched the wall over where Spike's bed used to be, glaring at the cold blanket bitterly. "But come on, you have to admit that seeing Master Splinter so happy is great!"

"Of course it is!," he exclaimed, whirling around on her. "I'm not saying it isn't! I'm not saying that I'm not pleased for Sensei and the fact he's gotten his daughter back after so long thinking she's dead! But the fact is, it'll only hurt him _worse_ when she betrays us!"

"What makes you think she'll betray us?," April asked, tilting her head.

"What makes everyone else think she _won't?_" He stomped up to her, but hesitated at least two paces away. "Why do _you_ trust her, April?," he implored. "She's tried to kidnap you, kill you and just down right insulted you, yet you welcomed her with open arms! I was hoping _you_ would at least be on my side here!" She blinked slowly, watching as he suddenly went rigid, fists opening and closing, waiting for her to either deny or confirm his statement.

"You remember those... _feelings_ I get?" He nodded. "Well, they're telling me that Karai honestly wants to start again. She wants to be with her Father, to mourn for her Mother with him. And I can honestly sympathise." The warrior turtle suddenly looked guilty, eyes shooting to the floor briefly, taking a hesitant step back.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"No, it's okay. I know what you meant. You're worried about Sensei. About all of us." April took a step towards him, now only centimetres away. "For all that bad tempered, cursing, anti-social attitude you show off, you love and adore your family. You protect the people you care about _so well_, Raphie." She cautiously lifted her hand, flinching slightly, but then rested her finger tips against his cheek, running them over that odd spot on his left cheek she'd initially thought was a bruise. She reasoned now that it may be some kind of mole or freckle. "But you have to trust me here. You have to trust me in trusting Karai, in giving her a second chance." His head tilted down slightly, irises seemingly glowing in the dim light of his bedroom. "Can you do that for me?," she whispered. He stared at her for a long moment, eyes searching hers for something she only could have guessed at. Then, he slowly nodded.

"I can. For you, not for her," he stated firmly, but far quieter than usual. "For you." Their lips touched so softly that she wondered if they actually made contact at all. It was only when they leapt away from each other that they actually realised what they'd done. "Oh god, sorry!," he yelped, waving his hands around urgently. "I-I didn't mean to-!"

"N-no, no, it was my fault! W-we just got caught up in the moment!," April exclaimed, pressing her hands over her mouth. "T-too many corny rom-com movies!"

"Right! W-we shouldn't let Mikey choose the films for movie night anymore!"

"Exactly!"

"Right!"

"Good!"

They stood that distance away from each other for a good while, stealing glances at one another, before April suddenly picked up her senses and hurried to the door. "I-I should go!"

"A-alright. Catch you later." He just managed to hear her confirmation, before she shot through the door like a lightning bolt and disappeared.

* * *

**Suddenly, awkward romance scene! This was supposed to come later on in their relationship, but I wanted to get it down before it got lost in the sea of nonsense in my brain. Now, this was the moment in which they began to question their emotions for each other; Raph tried to keep his distance and even encourage Donnie to try and make a move on April, only hurting himself in the process, and April began trying to distract herself by focusing on Casey, which managed to mess things up even more. There was an entire romantic drama running through my head in which this love square became more and more tangled, while Mikey and Miwa just watched from the sidelines like it was their favourite soap opera and Leo became ever more confused. Then, _"Vengeance is mine"_ happened, and out popped _"Turn of events"_, replacing my motivation to write a complex romance. I hate my brain sometimes.**

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


	9. Spy Hole

"So, does this happen a lot?"

"It's been happening more and more lately." Karai nodded a little, hazel eyes remaining focused on the intense stand off between Donatello and Casey Jones. She decided that hanging out with Mikey and letting him show her his favourite spy spots was an excellent idea. He was filling her in on all the family drama, individual quirks of her new family, and the best ways to eavesdrop on everyone. Spending time with her little brother turned out to be a hell of a good time.

They were on the very top of the spiral stair case leading to the surface, laying on their stomachs and peering over the edge, and had been doing so for an hour and a half. And neither Donatello or Jones had noticed them.

"Do they even realise she's left?" Mikey shook his head with a cheeky giggle.

"They're way too angry with each other. You can smell the testosterone from here!" She blinked in mild surprise; he was actually more intelligent than the others gave him credit, but it seemed as though he lead them to believe that on purpose. As to why he chose to reveal this side of himself to a girl who'd tried to kill him and his family several times remained to be seen. But she wasn't complaining.

"Where'd she go?," the dark haired girl asked, eyes darting around in search of April.

"In the kitchen, talking to Raph." He then nodded his head sideways, pushing up onto his knees. She followed his lead, crawling along the rafters until they were sat in a rather cozy nook above the kitchen sink, peering down at the red head and older turtle at the table.

"I swear they're getting worse," they heard April saying. "I think they've got some seriously pent up sexual tension." Raphael laughed, snorting into his bowl of ramen.

"Oh man, I didn't need to envision that about my lil' brother and best bud!"

"Sorry! What would you do if those two hooked up?" He shrugged and poked at his food.

"Establish with Casey that my egg-headed little brother is _not_ a play thing, and _will_ be treated with respect."

* * *

**Aaaaand I fell asleep. Never finished this one and don't intend to. Now I'd like to point out how, since this is more in Karai's point of view, she thinks of everyone with their full names; _"Donatello", "Casey Jones", "Raphael"_, etcetera. But not Mikey. She's very much comfortable with shortening Michaelangelo and Leonardo's names because she feels closest to them, while holding a level of respect for the others that unconsciously prevents her from doing so, especially with Raph. You see all the little details I think of, but then lose with my short attention span? Dammit.**

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


	10. The Bane of Men

What had started out as Casey finally tearing Donatello away from his work for some quality time together had descended into aneurism inducing annoyance. The turtle's cheeks were puffed up as he tried not to laugh, while the gnawed tips of the human's fingers scraped and picked at the knots, buckles and straps fastening Donnie's gear to him. Casey scowled as he brushed his fringe over his head again, bandanna sitting beside the reptile's hip, shirt discarded elsewhere in the lab, and once again tried to undo the weird knot holding elbow pads to green skin.

"Any time now, Jones...," Donnie chided, but the human didn't have to look up to know he was smirking.

"Shut up... Gap-tooth." The turtle only chuckled, sitting with his knees up against his chest and opposite arm resting over them. It was like trying to unfasten a bra, only several times and with complex knots and twists. Really, Donnie had expected this to be an issue, but the look on the other teenager's face was priceless.

"Need help?," he offered with a slight sigh; this was getting a little boring. He'd been all worked up _ten minutes ago_.

"_No!_," Casey snapped, almost snarling at the bulky armour. "I _can_ do it! I've seen you and Raph take these off!"

"Well you obviously haven't been watching very closely." Despite Jones' protest, Donnie slipped his fingers around his elbow, pulling on the end of the knot hidden there, and the entire thing sagged and fell to the surface of the desk they sat on. Casey stared with a look of bewilderment and wounded pride, then scowled at the turtle.

"Could've figured that out."

"Eventually."

"_Eventually._" Donnie just smiled, then lifted both his arms in a stretch, moaning at the pleasant crack of his joints.

"Well, eventually might not have been soon enough. It's nearly morning."

"So?"

"Mikey and Leo are early risers." Casey raised an eye brow, looking unimpressed.

"What about Raph?"

"Not a morning person."

"Then I've got _nothing_ to worry about."

"You obviously haven't seen Mikey's protective side." With that, Donnie swung his legs over the side of the desk, nudging the rolling chair out of the way as he stood.

"Where're you going?," Casey exclaimed. "Hey, I can do the rest on my own! And I'll be real quick!" The turtle peered over his shoulder, just barely keeping from laughing at how needy that plea had sounded.

"You know, I don't think saying you're _quick_ is very appealing pillow talk."

"C'mon, Don! Don't leave me hangin' on..." Then he pouted. Honest to God, he _pouted_. And this time, Donatello really did laugh, turning away and shielding his chin and mouth with the back of his hand.

"You're like a giant _puppy_."

"A puppy in need of some TLC!"

Donnie sighed and placed his arms akimbo, looking back at the human again. "Then you'd better get off my desk and get to my room. Because shell if we're doing anything more than _kissing_ in here, Cave-mouth!"

Casey's eye brows popped up in surprise, staring at Don for a moment, before scrambling to get of the desk and race to the turtle's bedroom. And while the temptation of locking him in there and either getting back to work or asking to crash in Leo's bed were both high, he followed with an amused chuckle.

* * *

**I understand that this pairing is popularly known as _Castello_, but personally, I like the name _Jello_. Coz I'm a dork. I'm not even American, but I use the term Jello. Anyway, this spawned from my gay best friend claiming that he'd never have to deal with the trouble that bras caused most men when getting busy in the sack, which wouldn't have effected him anyway since he has the art of that pinching to unlatch a bra down to an art. Cheeky bitch. The image of Casey trying to undress Donnie was enough to make me giggle, so into the anthology it goes!**

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


	11. Visitor

Leo kept on glancing nervously in the samurai's direction, uncertain what to make of the strange creature. On the one hand, Usagi seemed pleasant and comfortable to be around, even if his startled outbursts at modern technology were as surprising as they were amusing. He didn't judge them at all for their looks, as he himself was rather odd looking. On the other hand, he was odd looking because he allegedly hailed from an alternate world where animals were the dominant species of Earth. The concept of him being mutant-like, but not actually a mutant, was oddly uncomfortable to Leo. He and his family had lived their lives in the shadows, showing their faces to a select few humans, mostly by accident. They were either ashamed or discomfited by their looks after so many had described them as freakish and ugly, so purposely kept out of people's sight.

Usagi, however, had walked right out into the streets of New York with very little regard for his appearance.

It was even more foreign than the concept of him coming from a whole other world; the fact that someone so... _odd_ looking was completely assured in the way that he looked. At the same time, Leo was fascinated by the idea of a planet where he and his family could roam without fear of being judged. That would, of course, mean leaving April, Casey and Miwa behind.

"What troubles you, Leonardo-san?" The turtle flinched, realising he'd been staring and going red in the face.

"I—nothing! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-!" Usagi raised his hand in a gentle gesture for him to fall silent, and Leo obeyed, disarmed by that charming almost-smile.

"I suppose this must all seem peculiar to you as well, ___otōto__," _he said, long ears twitching slightly. Usagi applied the term otōto to all four turtles, and even to Casey, while referring to April and Miwa as imōto. He put the affectionate names down to the fact that his family had saved the samurai from becoming the Kraang's lab rat, though he'd most likely have been able to escape by himself, seeing as how he was carving through twenty droids at a time. Perhaps it was the fact that they took him in and were attempting to find a way to send him home; he seemed very thankful for that.

The turtle blinked, then rubbed the back of his head bashfully. "I guess, but then it'll be really weird for you, being in a place like this all of a sudden..." The rabbit nodded slowly, keeping his eyes on the turtle.

"Indeed. Your world is peculiar and advanced, and... a samurai lodging with a ninja clan..." Usagi shook his head. "It is practically unheard of... I suspect that is why the ___rōjin _disliked the idea of me staying here." Leo's brow furrowed, offering the samurai and awkward smile, squirming on the spot.

"I'm sorry for sensei's behaviour. He's usually very welcoming, even if he is protective..."

"Perhaps that is because only children have previously visited your home." Usagi may have been small, perhaps a few inches bellow Splinter, but he was actually into his early twenties. This made him the oldest non-mutant to ever visit the lair, by default. Leo considered this, then nodded in agreement.

"Probably. Mister O'Neil comes down here every now and then, but he's April's Dad, so I guess that makes it seem more acceptable to him..." He tapped his chin in thought.

"In other words, he does not trust me around his little ones," the rabbit stated matter-of-factly. "An admirable trait in a Father, I suppose."

"What?"

"Being wary of strange men living in the same house as your teenagers." Leo laughed despite himself, Usagi giving that almost-smile once again. He was rather impassive for a bunny, in Leo's opinion, but not unfriendly. He'd demonstrated a staggering amount of patience by listening to Casey and Mikey's sugar and caffeine fuelled frenzies on the importance of video games and anime, until Miwa and Donnie came to the rescue and dragged them away. He'd even offered to spar with Raph during one of the second eldest turtle's temper tantrums; he'd shown a remarkable amount of physical strength and endurance for someone so delicate looking.

"Do you trust us?," he asked, making the samurai tilt his head in thought.

"Well, you did come to my aid in the battle with the Kraang, you offered me accommodation and food despite how different our social classes are, and you are all very patient with my lack of knowledge in your world. The concept of traffic lights still baffle me." That earned another giggle from the reptile. "And considering how far apart our time periods are, our social classes would most likely have very little meaning in this world."

"I think tradition is still a factor, but samurai and ninja tolerate each other more these days... I think... You're actually the first samurai we've met..."

Usagi nodded in understanding, then gently lidded his eyes and sat up straight, looking almost regal and majestic. "It would be a blight on my Bushidō if I were to mistrust such kind people. Though forgive me if I am wary around ninja out of habit."

"It's understandable, don't worry." Usagi offered him another half-smile, opening one red eye to peer at the turtle languidly, then shut it again and began meditating.

* * *

**The katanaship needs far more love than it has. Of any variety. There's mostly 2k3 and AUs out there on the net, but so ****little****. Personally I love the Usagi Yojimbo novels by Stan Sakai, and I own ****"Shades of death"****, in which the turtles make a cameo and they all go on an adventure together. Even though the 2003 version got me interested in that pairing, it was the comic that really triggered the ship. The scene where Usagi offers an injured Leo water and babies him, telling him not to drink it too fast... ****Gah!**** He's a complete sweetie anyway, but worrying after Leo like that just cemented it for me. Their freaking out of each other getting hurt in the cartoon didn't help either, even with Tomoe Ame around, who was very out of character by the way. I have my own version of Usagi in 2k12 in my head, who'll probably never make an appearance in any of my fics because he's extremely out of character as well, but I've also heard rumours that he'd show up in season 3. Then again, I also read an article specifically saying Stan Sakai didn't intend for Usagi to appear in 2k12, but I suppose we'll have to wait and see. And gods help us all if Cerebus pops up.**

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


	12. School Dance

"What's the point of this... _'school dance'_?," he asked, staring at the floor. He was stood in April's bedroom, leaning against the wall outside of her closet. Multiple dresses, summery and otherwise, had been thrown and strewn across her bed and floor, rejected in her experimentation. He was currently staring at a frilly, yellow summer frock with white flower print over the edge of the skirt.

"It's just for fun, and the teachers' way of congratulating us on completing our exams," April called. "We dance, eat, chat. Just generally have a good time."

"And that requires you to mutilate your closet?" She laughed, making him smile slightly at the dress, before staggering out of her wardrobe with her arms stretched around behind her.

"Ugh, can you get the zip for me?" He obeyed; the zip only reached a short way up her back, so it was of little wonder that she couldn't reach it, being such a low backed dress.

"Hm, red. I like it." She grinned over her shoulder, turning around and straightening out the skirts.

"You would. Think it looks okay on me?" The multiple ruffled skirts reached down to her knees, giving the impression she was flower-like and delicate, bodice tapering to a point over her collar bone into a single strap around her neck. The dress was more of a crimson than bright red, with a slightly pinkish sheen. She wore matching kitten heels and her ginger hair was down, curled into autumn coloured ringlets around her thin shoulders.

"... Looks good," he replied in affirmation. "Great, actually. You should go in that one." April blinked in surprise, then smiled sweetly and nodded.

"Okay then, I will." He watched her walk over to her desk, where she began fiddling with make up and jewellery. Raph glanced at the alarm clock; 8:34 pm. He'd been hiding in her room for an hour now, but he'd gotten texts from all his brothers confirming their safety. Donnie had made it back to the Lair, while Leo and Mikey had hidden in Murakami-san's store room, but the Kraang were still obviously combing the streets, which had been the reason they split up in the first place. The idea of hiding in the bedroom of the girl the little aliens were after may not have seemed so bright, but they'd all agreed that _someone_ had to make sure she was safe.

Well, Raph had been heading in that direction anyway when they split up.

"Should I wear something in my hair?" He looked back over to her; she was looking at him in the mirror, brushing her fingers through her ginger locks. "I feel like my head looks kinda... plain."

"Plain?," he repeated. "With all that curliness going on?" She grinned and grabbed the yellow teddy bear that sat beside her pencil pot, launching it into Raph's face. He yelped and grabbed it before it fell to the floor, then lifted it to head height and peeked at her. "Protect me, Teddy, she's violent!" April giggled into the back of her hand, and the turtle grinned widely in return. He took a moment to observe her closely, looking her up and down, then walked towards the desk. He placed the bear back in its place, then turned April towards the mirror. She went quiet all of a sudden, staring at his reflection. Raph reached behind his head and tugged on the tail of his mask, releasing the knot, then placed it over April's head. He slipped one hand under the sea of curly hair and swept it over her shoulder, tying the ends of the red fabric behind her neck firmly but gently, and returned her hair to its place. "Better?"

She stared at herself in the mirror, admiring the make-shift hair band. It looked somewhat rustic, being so tattered, but that just added to the look. A mix of cute charm and messy resourcefulness, if you could call it that. "I... wow, yeah! But... but I can't-"

"You can borrow it, just for tonight. Gotta have it back when you next see us," he interrupted, folding his arms. She hesitantly reached up, stroking her fingers over the worn fabric.

"Thank you...," she mumbled. The red head then got to her feet and turned to face him, making him wince. "What's wrong?"

"You look pretty. I'm worried some jerks are going to follow you down into the sewer humping your leg or something!," Raph exclaimed. "Then I'd have to beat them off and save you."

"Like a knight in a shining half-shell!," she giggled, then tilted her head. "The others would come save me too, right?"

"Of course. It's just that Leo would settle for just scaring them rather than giving them a pounding, Mikey would get distracted and try to become their friends, and Donnie would down right murder them if he came to rescue you!" He raised his chin in the air with pride, grinning smugly. "_I'm_ the only one who would give 'em the beating they deserved _without_ causing permanent physical damage."

April smiled, then stepped up to the warrior turtle and looped her slim arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a warm embrace. "Thanks, Raphie."

* * *

**Thus began my headcanon that April was the only one allowed to call him Raphie in public. 2K3 had his brothers calling him Raphie every once in a while, which was extremely cute, but 2k12 Raph probably wouldn't stand for it, from anyone but April at least. And hey, if you don't want to ship 'em, you're more than welcome to view this in a platonic sense. I don't have siblings of my own, but I understand that a good relationship with them can be very sweet.**

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


	13. Meow

"Guys, _tadaima!_," April called as she pushed passed the turnstiles with Casey in tow.

Mikey looked up from his comic book and shouted back. "Hey guys! We're in the kitchen!" The two humans came in a minute later, April and Mikey grinning at each other. Donnie peered over his shoulder and gave April a shy smile, before turning back to the stove.

"Don, shouldn't you be heating chemicals in your lab?," the red head asked when she noticed the beakers in his hands. Donnie sighed and nodded, swirling the liquid around carefully.

"I would be. But _someone_ broke my Bunsen burner! Not naming any names or anything," he replied with a pointed scowl at Mikey. The younger turtle looked aptly sheepish, then lifted his comic a little to conceal his face. The girl smiled, glancing at Casey with a shrug, then began unzipping her bag.

"Well if it makes you feel any better, we got you guys presents in town today!" Michaelangelo immediately dropped the comic and flung himself into a crouched position on top of the table, hands on the edge between his feet.

"Presents?," he exclaimed excitedly, making April giggle. Donnie put down his equipment and turned around, smiling humbly.

"Oh, that's real nice of you guys, but you really didn't have t-!" Casey suddenly appeared in front of him, slapping something over his head only half-carefully.

"Merry Christmas and suck it up, Don!," the boy chuckled, stepping round beside the turtle and slinging an arm around his shoulders. Donnie chose to ignore the fact that it was the middle of July and lifted his eyes to his head, then reached up and tugged at the head band Jones had put on him, while April placed another on Mikey's head far more gently.

Cat ear head bands.

"Uh... and what possessed you two to get these for us?," Donnie inquired, partially pulling the costume off to inspect the grey, fabric kitty ears.

"We were actually looking for costumes to a party at school, then Casey started talking about the possibility of a _double_ mutation, and what that would look like, and... well, long story short, we saw the cat bands on sale and we thought it would be a giggle," April explained rather poorly, and her expression seemed to show that she knew it. Donnie stared at her, then at Casey, then back to April, and finally to an overjoyed Mikey, who had proceeded to roll onto his shell on the counter and start meowing at April, pawing at her ponytail. The girl giggled, rubbing his tummy playfully. "And besides, since Mikey turned my real cat into ice cream, I figure he can make up for it by _being_ my cat," she grinned deviously.

"Okay, I can do that! Maow!" He then began to purr, rolling onto all fours and rubbing their cheeks together. "Mew! Mew!"

Casey laughed, smacking Donnie's shoulder and then grinning widely at him. "Go on, Don, humour me." The tall turtle stared at him as if he were mad, but in the back of his mind remembered he'd already resigned himself to the fact that Casey Jones was a complete head-case.

"I am _not_ going to meow for you!," he exclaimed, clenching his fists and stamping his foot, narrowly missing Casey's toes.

"C'mon! You'd make an awesome kitty cat! Bet you'd be the kind of cat constantly mewling for attention and petting." Donnie's face puffed up in irritation, opening his mouth to retort before April cut him off.

"And Mikey'd be the kitty that always needs a bell so you can find him!," she laughed, not even scolding Casey for teasing the turtle.

"Well Leo _has_ considered that in the past. Either for when he runs away or _sneaks up_ on you, shouts _'Booyakasha'_ and makes you drop and smash your Bunsen burner on the floor!," the purple turtle barked, earning a nervous smile from his brother.

"Meeeew...!," he squeaked, then hopped off the counter and crouched behind April, looking up at Donnie with those practised innocent eyes. The red head patted him, before placing her hands on her hips, saying something about finding a laser pointer or ball of yarn. Don sort of stopped listening, mentioning Leo having him consider something. He pulled the head band off and examined it; the ears were very soft, but he could see why they were on sale. Cheap and nasty, but that was probably less noticeable when someone was wearing them.

Casey leant on his shoulder again, chuckling as April tried to find a can of tuna that Mikey was mewing for. Donnie glanced at him then gestured to the ears to get his attention. "These are for me to keep, right?" The boy nodded, only looking at him for a moment then fixing on April again as she stretched to reach the located can on the top shelf of a cupboard.

"Yeah, sure, Gap-tooth. Do whatever you want with 'em. Didn't actually expect you to keep the thing, just got it for a laugh." Don nodded, ignoring the obnoxious nickname that had apparently stuck even after he and Casey became friends, and considered the ears a little more.

.

Leo's eyes were firmly shut, focusing on nothing but his breathing and the gentle warmth the candles around him provided. The electrical lights above were off – the faint buzzing always made it hard to concentrate when he meditated – so when the room flooded with white, artificial light, he winced despite having his eyes closed.

"Uh, Leo...?," Donnie's voice asked timidly, and the leader visibly relaxed. Had it been Raph or Mikey, he'd have been annoyed enough to demand that they leave. But Donnie was calm and quiet, and knew when to respect silence.

"Hey, come in," he invited softly, not opening his eyes and not turning to face the door, which was swiftly shut as his younger brother shuffled in. "What's up?"

"Erm... well, Casey and April got me and Mikey gifts today..."

Leo's brow furrowed. "What, and nothing for me or Raph?," he asked with a chuckle in his voice. Donnie snickered, but a shuffle indicated he was shaking his head.

"Well, no, and... well, I guess I felt that you deserved one, so..." Leo raised an eye brow in confusion, listening to the sound of Donnie lowering to the floor. "M-meow..." His eyelids sprung open and he twisted at the hip, and his face might have burst into flames by how red it turned.

Donnie was on all fours; mask, belts and pads missing but a pair of cat ears sat atop his head. The genius' face was almost as red as Leo's, and he squeezed one eye shut as he leaned away timidly. "Mew...?"

"Are those... ears?"

"Mmhm."

"And April bought them for you?"

"Casey did, actually."

Leo's eyes widened along with his smile, and he shifted around to sit on his knees, facing his brother. "Jeez, remind me to thank him later!" Donnie scowled shyly away from him, lowering his stomach to the floor. Leonardo's blush began to infect the rest of him, a warm buzz spreading through his body. He leaned forward, offering out his hand. "Here kitty, kitty!," he cooed, earning another glare and even a hiss. "Hey, it was your idea!"

"You don't have to look so _amused_." Leo chuckled, tilting his head.

"I'm sorry, it's just that you look so _cute!_" His little brother then pouted slightly, but pushed up so he was on his hands and knees again. The blue turtle smiled wider, and tried again. "C'mon kitty, c'mere." With a steadying breath, Donnie began slinking towards Leo, bathed in candle light and, once he was merely a breath away from his leader, _purred_. The older turtle's breath hitched as the genius leaned closer, crimson-brown eyes half lidded and keeping a rather dignified expression on his face.

"_Meow_." Leo abruptly snapped their lips together in a tender kiss, making Donnie's eyes widen almost as suddenly. It broke after a few seconds, and Leo smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, lost my cool there."

"Since when have you ever been considered _cool_, Leo?," Don teased, wiggling his shoulders with a slightly more confident smile on his face. His leader went to defend himself, but instead Donnie gave the blue turtle's lips a lick.

* * *

**This popped up before _"Mikey gets shellacne" _and _"Vengeance is mine"._ I seriously had no idea a double mutation was actually a thing. Anywho, I love all t-cest pairings, but there's a distinct lack of LDL in the 2k12 verse. Which annoys me. So here's what happened after searching for hours on end trying to find some, then giving up and writing my own. Admit it; Donnie with kitty ears is adorable. **

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


	14. Mating Calls

"Donnie! Donnie! Donnie!" Donatello inhaled deeply, counting backwards from ten before placing his tools down and removing his goggles. Tempering himself in the face of a frantic Mikey was becoming easier these days, most likely due to the meditation sessions he'd been sitting with April and Splinter. Walking outside, he just managed to witness his younger brother trip over the couch he'd forgotten was there, landing on a startled Raph's lap.

"Mikey!," the red turtles snarled, shoving him to the floor. Mikey ignored him and scrambled to his feet, running across to the opposite couch and clambering up to stand in front of Donnie.

"Donnie, I need help!," he exclaimed, clasping his hands together pleadingly.

"You need a lot of help, Mikey, we've already established that." The jab flew right over his head, either because he didn't get it, or simply didn't care. "What's wrong?" The commotion had drawn Leo out of the kitchen with a puzzled April, while Raph sulkily folded his arms and scowled.

"Something's wrong with Leatherhead!," Mikey replied, arms opening wide to emphasise his panic. "I think he's sick or something, but he won't talk to me!" All of a sudden, his three brothers lost their scepticism; even Raphael looked concerned.

"Is he in his pool?" The orange turtle nodded, and Donnie turned and dashed back into his lab to retrieve a medical kit he'd cobbled together over the last few months. "Okay, lead the way."

"We'll come too. If Leatherhead's sick, it might be harder to calm him down when he... snaps," Leo stated, placing his hands on his hips and glancing at Raph, who nodded and got to his feet. The blue turtle paused and looked at April, then smiled nervously. "Um, maybe we could continue this conversation later...?" The ginger haired girl gave him a devious smirk, then patted his shell and nodded.

"Like I'm giving you a _choice_."

"That's comforting." Despite the others giving him questioning looks, Leo waved them off and headed to the exit. Mikey sprinted after him, while Raph made a more calm jog. Donnie paused and glanced at April before he left.

"What's that about?," he asked. She smiled again, then tapped the side of her nose.

"Be patient, and you might just find out... eventually." With that bit of crypticness, and Mikey screaming for him to hurry up, the scientist bombed out of the lair as fast as he could go.

The journey to Leatherhead's hidey hole was faster than usual, as Mikey knew precisely where he was going. The fact he was practically dragging Donnie by the wrist sped things up as well, and after a long swim and a few twists and turns to avoid the alligator's booby traps, they reached the pool where Leatherhead usually soaked.

"LH?," Mikey called gently. "I'm back, buddy. I got you some help...!" There was silence for a few tense minutes, in which Leo and Raph cautiously kept their hands on their weapons, until a pair of amber eyes appeared out of the water. "There you are!" The orange turtle dropped to his hands and knees by the pool, smiling down at the alligator staring at them. "Donnie's here to see if he can help you, okay?" Donatello lowered to one knee, placing his health pack beside him and leaning in to take a closer look.

"Hey, Leatherhead," he said softly, examining the larger reptile's eyes. "How you feeling?" Leatherhead didn't respond, he simply floated there, perfectly still and silent. Donnie's brow furrowed, leaning back and rubbing his chin in thought.

"He's kinda creeping me out...," Raph mumbled to Leo, who nodded slowly.

"Donnie, can you see any _physical_ differences?"

"No, not while he's in the water. And I'm not entirely sure I want to be in there with him." Before any more questions could be asked, Leatherhead took a deep inhale and arched his back upwards, revealing the rough, rigid scales on his back. Donnie's eyes widened as he realised what was happening, before the alligator exhaled and made an echoey, rumbling growl that quite literally shook the room, making the water around him bubble as if it were boiling. They flinched, trying to keep their footing, Donnie grabbing Mikey by the shell so he wouldn't topple into the pool and Raph taking hold of Leo's arm for purchase.

"Holy crap!," Raph exclaimed, ignoring the disapproving scowl from Leo. "What the heck was that?!"

"Why did he growl at us?!," Mikey cried, on the verge of tears as he looked up at Donnie. "Did we make him mad?"

"No, no, it wasn't a _growl_, Mikey," the purple turtle assured him. "It was a bellow." All three of his brothers gave him confused looks, tilting their heads.

"He wasn't shouting."

"That was definitely a _growl_, Don."

He smacked his palm to his forehead and rolled his eyes quickly. "Okay, when a male alligator craves company, he issues a sound from his lungs that is too low to be heard. This infrasound causes him to vibrate violently and whips the water on his back into a froth of waves and leaping fountains. When males attract attention by quivering their spiky backs underwater, they create Faraday waves, and why am I trying to explain this to _any of you?_"

"I dunno, Donnie, you'd think our enthralled expressions would give you a clue," Raph snarled, looking positively irritated and ready to punch his brother.

Leo interrupted before their hotheaded sibling could react, making a cutting gesture with his hand. "Give us the short, dumbed down version, will you, Don?" The purple turtle pinched the bridge between his eyes, one arm akimbo as he tried to keep calm in the face of muscle headed idiocy. And Leo.

"It's a mating call," he said simply.

"See, now was _that_ so hard?," Raph hissed. "Wouldn't it have been easier just to say it was a mating- uh, what now?" Donnie could practically mark the exact moment that realisation hit his brother like a ton of bricks, his eyes going wide, body getting stiff and jaw going taut.

"Mating call?," Leo repeated. "So, what, is it his breeding season?"

"Well it _is_ April, that's about the time alligators go into heat, as it were." Donnie turned, hands on his hips still as he examined Leatherhead, who was swimming tentatively round and round in circles.

"So, he wants a girlfriend?," Mikey asked, surprising everyone by actually understanding what was going on around him.

"Pretty much. Alligators aren't really a monogamous species, though. A male alligator can impregnate several females in a matter of days," he explained. Raph blinked, then chuckled.

"Jeez, can't imagine sweet, big ol' Leatherhead being unable to keep it in his pants!" Donnie gave him a blunt look, to which the red turtle shrugged off.

"So, what do we do?," Mikey asked, looking at the others worriedly.

"We could take him to the zoo, let him get busy with the lady gators there!," Raph suggested, folding his arms.

"Okay, let's ignore the high possibility that copulation between a mutated alligator and a regular alligator could end up in some kind of genetic disaster, and remember the fact that Leatherhead is _huge_," Donnie chided, throwing his arms around to emphasise his point.

"And?"

"And, I don't think he's getting out of that water _willingly_, Raph. Do _you_ want to try and lift him?," Leo cut in, crouching by the pool. "Any other options, Donnie?"

"The only other thing I can think of is to leave him be until he comes out of heat," he replied.

"Poor guy, his balls will explode." All eyes snapped to Raphael, who didn't even look embarrassed. "What, haven't you gone a long period of time without... _relieving_ yourself?" They all pulled disgusted expressions of varying degrees, but focused back on Leatherhead.

"Well, it's not like we've got a lot of choice. Unless we conveniently find a willing, female mutant alligator down here," their leader sighed, standing up properly. Mikey lay flat on his stomach, pillowing his chin on his arms as he watched his friend swim. Another bellow shook the room, the vibrations making his stomach roil uncomfortably. However, Leatherhead this time came up to the edge of the pool, making his brothers nervously back away. Mikey stayed put, pushing himself up on his elbows as the gator lifted his nose out of the water. Under normal circumstances, he'd let the orange turtle nuzzle their snouts together in an affectionate gesture, but when Michaelangelo leaned forward, Leatherhead bombed back into the water. The youngest turtle made a very disheartened squeak, prompting his sympathetic brothers to scoop him up and put him back on his feet.

"Don't worry, Mikey, it's nothing personal," Leo assured him, petting his little brother's head.

"Yeah, he's not thinking with the right head at the moment," Raph added, rubbing the orange turtle's back.

"Will you stop it with the dirty jokes!," their leader snapped, going a little red in the face.

"What?," Raph exclaimed. "You don't think they're funny?"

"Not in front of Mikey!" The two, of course, began to argue and Donnie made a mental note on how Leo's face got redder and redder with every suggestive comment Raph made, either on Leatherhead or on the blue clad turtle himself. Somehow, their arguing muffled the sound of moving water, and Donnie only noticed Leatherhead had left his pool when Mikey gasped and pointed behind him. Their brothers froze and Donatello flinched, barely daring to move in case his face was suddenly grabbed in vice grip. He slowly and carefully turned to face the alligator, who appeared to be focussing on him.

"Please, not in the face, not in the face, not in the face...," he whispered under his breath. The gator mutant made a resonating growl, no where near the same intensity as his previous bellows, then leaned down. Donnie held his breath and squeezed his eyes shut, making a rather pitiful squeak and prayed his brothers would be able to grab him before he got his head bitten off.

A rough, leathery snout nuzzled against his smooth, scaly muzzle, making him crack one eye open. Leatherhead was staring at him, pressing their noses together ever so gently. He then moved his snout around and down to the purple turtle's neck, nestling there for a moment before pulling away and tilting his head down, making it possible to press their foreheads together.

Donnie could feel his brothers astounded gaze boring into him from behind, confusion mixed with amusement, while he stood stock still in petrified horror, trying to work out what was going on.

"Um... Donnie...?," he heard Mikey mumble, trying to keep his voice down.

"Is he_ tasting_ you?," Raph hissed. "Do alligators get extra hungry when they're horny?"

"Don, should we attack, or leave him be?," Leo mumbled. Understanding suddenly dawned on him when Leatherhead bellowed again, making all three of his brothers draw their weapons and stand vigilant. "What is he...?"

"Oh my god, he's courting me," Donnie gaped.

* * *

**Leo and April were initially supposed to be having a conversation about his confusion over his attraction to Raph and Karai. Blue has _always_ been the sassy gay friend of TMNT in my eyes. Also, bonus points to anyone who can find _"The Tick"_ reference. First prize is an internet cookie. I'd found a video of alligator mating calls, and thought that science behind it was fascinating. Donnie would of course know all about it, and I ship LH/Don, so... this happened.**

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


	15. Deshelled

Time travelled differently from behind bars. Mikey guessed it might have been a day or so, but it felt like months had passed. He'd noted every detail about the cell; each brick, each crack, even the welded on bar of the cell door, as if someone had worn through it to escape. He could guess who.

At first, they believed the Shredder may simply kill them and get it over with. He'd never shown any particular interest in them otherwise; just tools for getting at Master Splinter. But as they waited, it became increasingly obvious that it wouldn't be that easy.

They were brought simple meals; bowls of rice and glasses of water, but nothing metal or thin that Donnie might use as a lock pick, and nothing heavy Mikey could use as a weapon. Their bed consisted of a scrap of cardboard on the floor, but they refused to use it, cuddling together in a corner for comfort and warmth. Of course, Razar and Fish-face taunted them at every chance they got, even encouraging Stockman-fly to join in, though his efforts were rather poor. Xever and Baxter scattered like startled mice whenever Tiger Claw appeared, while Bradford simply bowed in respect and left in a dignified manner.

The large feline would never mock them, never interrogate them. He brought them food occasionally, but for the most part he simply watched them. Mikey had fallen asleep one night with his cheek on his brother's chest, then awoke to find Donnie locked in a cold staring match with the tiger.

What the staring meant was lost to them, but it was more than disconcerting. Donnie spent hours scribbling in the dust and dirt to try and work out an escape plan, but Mikey got the feeling their time was running out.

"Why haven't Raph and Leo come for us yet...?" Donnie looked over his shoulder at his only younger brother. The orange turtle was sat against a wall hugging his knees, peering between the bars longingly, as if their big brothers would come bursting into the dungeon. The young genius winced and squirmed, piecing together an answer that wouldn't distress Mikey any more.

"They've probably beefed up the security since Karai escaped. And hey, maybe they got caught up in some Kraang scheme! Gotta put the safety of the city first." His response was rather pathetic, and he knew it, since even the prankster didn't seem to be buying it. He just sighed and dropped his forehead in his knees.

Then again, Donnie knew for a fact his younger brother was smarter than everyone gave him credit.

He crawled towards him on all fours, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and sliding him towards him, pulling him to sit between his legs so he could envelope the younger turtle completely. "Hey, c'mon, it'll be alright. Either we'll escape by ourselves or Leo and Raphie will be here real soon. You'll see." He didn't reply. All the freckled turtle did was lean into his brother, letting himself be smothered and rocked.

And then, well... he supposed it was Judgement day.

They were both startled awake by the door to the prison swinging open abruptly, making them both sit bolt upright, and they shared a sense of dread when the Shredder marched towards their cell, Tiger Claw and several Foot bots trailing behind. The dark ninja stopped just short of their cage, glaring at them through the bars. The youngest Hamato sons glared right back.

"Tell me," Shredder rumbled, statue still. "What do you see before you?" They glanced at each other, then back again.

"A madman," Donnie replied flippantly.

"A jealous freak," Mikey added.

"A psychopath," they said in unison; an odd little talent they had that Leo and Raph lacked. Tiger Claw snarled and took a menacing step forward, but Shredder lifted a hand and halted him. The limb lowered slowly, his piercing gaze intimidating even through the bars. Sensei had always taught them to never forget fear; it was an innate feeling meant to keep a person alive. But he had also taught them to remember courage. "What do _you_ see?," they asked.

Oroku Saki stared for a few moments longer, then replied, "A pair of children. Half of a complete set, raised by a selfish, thieving coward in the gutters of New York." Their gazes hardened spitefully, but Shredder continued. "Trained in the arts of stealth and power, to kill if necessary, even at the tender age of fifteen." He shook his head, helmet rattling. "Children robbed of their childhood. Animals robbed of their nature." They stared at one another for a while longer, Tiger Claw and bots looking relatively confused by the silence, before Shredder suddenly tensed.

"Take the eldest."

They both lunged for the door, intending to slip past, taking advantage of their smaller size. But Tiger Claw grabbed Mikey around the waist and hoisted him up, holding him tight against his chest. Donnie, of course, turned to save his brother, planting a punch in the feline's rib cage. The larger mutant grunted in pain and surprise; evidently, Donatello was physically stronger than Karai. He almost released the younger turtle, but Shredder grabbed the purple clad reptile by the throat and lifted him off the ground. Donnie gaped and choked, clawing and bashing at Oroku Saki's arm, but found it ultimately useless.

"Yoshi has trained you well," Shredder commended lowly. "But it is clear to me that your elder brothers are the alpha males." Tiger Claw threw Mikey back into the cell and slammed the door shut, locking it just as the young reptile threw himself against the bars. Shredder jammed his fingers into the pressure point in Donnie's neck, causing him to flinch violently, then go limp and unconscious.

"What are you doing?!," Mikey shouted as they began to walk away, his brother carried like a sack of potatoes under the human's arm. "Where are you taking him? Give him back!," he screamed, bashing and rattling the bars in a futile attempt to bend them. "Put my brother down! Stop! _No!_"

…

Time travelled differently from behind bars. Mikey guessed it might have been a week or so, but it felt like years had passed. He'd noted every detail about the cell, for all the good it would do; each brick, each crack, even the welded on bar of the cell door, as if someone had worn through it to escape. He could guess who.

At first, they believed the Shredder may simply kill them and get it over with. But it had become obvious that it wouldn't be that easy.

His arms trembled and his tears dripped down onto Donnie's cheeks, those near-maroon eyes staring up at him distantly. One hand pillowed his brother's head, the other stroking his face and wiping away his own tears, hiccuping and biting his lip, trying to swallow his sobs.

"It'll be alright, Mikey..."

"No it won't..." Donnie blinked slowly, each breath laboured and encumbered. The younger turtle concluded it was probably the human part of their biology keeping him alive now, even as the blood pooled faster and faster.

"I don't feel it anymore," he said quietly. "It's gone beyond feeling now. It's sort of all... overlapped upon itself." Mikey choked, eyes squeezing shut. "That probably wasn't very comforting."

"I... I don't know what to do...," the youngster sobbed. "Dee, tell me what I'm supposed to do?" Donatello blinked slowly once again, expression blank and unchanging.

"I don't think anyone can do anything now. Turtles aren't supposed to be taken out of their shells." Mikey turned his head away, swallowing down the bile threatening to fly from his mouth. As if he hadn't vomited enough already. "Mikey...?"

"Yeah?"

"Kill me."

Michaelangelo let out a wailing sob, pressing his forehead to his dissected brother's. "Don't ask me to do that!," he howled, descending into hysterical gasps and whimpers. "Don't ask me to! Don't _ask me to!_"

"Mikey...," Donnie wheezed. He went quiet, trembling against his mutilated brother for a moment, then lifted his head slowly, baby blues staring into deep brown. "_Please._"

The orange clad turtle swallowed slowly, then closed his eyes and sobbed again. His clever, kind, wonderful older brother lay in his lap, completely de-shelled; what little bones were left and internal organs out on display for all to see. He didn't even want to imagine what pain Donnie was in, or what he'd been through while Stockman and the Foot bots had pried away his carapace and plastron once he'd regained consciousness. The spark in his eyes had vanished, leaving only those sweet brown irises looking up at him.

"_Please._"

Michaelangelo shuddered, then carefully slid the hand under Donnie's head further forward, until his neck was cradled in the crook of his elbow. He tried not to lift or jostle him too much as he looped his other arm around him and somehow, despite the absolute agony he must have been in, Donnie lifted one hand to grasp Mikey's shoulder. "I love you, _Niichan_."

"I love you, too," Don whispered, and Michaelangelo hugged him, squeezing tighter and tighter around his throat.

He wasn't sure how long it took for Donnie's hand to loosen on his shoulder and slip down again, or for that final puff of air to escape his lips. But he knew the lack of oxygen would have numbed Donnie's last few moments of pain.

He let his brother sag in his lap, head lolling to the side and eyes half closed. Mikey gently closed them for him, hand sliding over his face and thumb stroking his cheek.

He managed to move Donnie onto the scrap of cardboard, placing his arms at his sides. He sat on his knees beside him for a while, taking in every detail of what was left.

Then Mikey screamed.

* * *

… **I have no excuses or explanations for this. I'm just a sick bastard.**

_**Hail to the princess, baby!**_


End file.
